Configuration information is exchanged between a home entertainment system server and various wireless components by pushing a button on the server and a random button on a remote control device as it is pointed at the devices sought to be authenticated.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for authenticating a computerized component in a home network with a computerized server in the network, comprising: instructing a user to point wireless a remote control device at the server; instructing a user to press a button indicating that authentication is impending, the button being on at least one of the server or the remote control device; instructing a user to randomly select a button on the remote control device; instructing a user to press the randomly selected button to generate a wireless signal; instructing a user to point the remote control device at the component; instructing a user to press the randomly selected button to generate the wireless signal; from at least one of: the server, or the component, sending a signal representing the wireless signal to the other of: the server, or the component, which compares the wireless signal it received from the remote control device with the a signal assumed to represent the wireless signal and if a match is found, determines that authentication exists between the server and component and otherwise does not determine that authentication exists between the server and component.
2. The method of claim 1 , comprising sending an authentication request message along with the signal representing the wireless signal.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the server and component communicate over a power line communication (PLC) system.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the server and component communicate over a 802.11 system.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the server is established by a set-top box receiver.
6. A method for authenticating a component in a home network with a server in the network, comprising: instructing a user to point a remote control device at the server; instructing a user to press a button indicating that authentication is impending, the button being on at least one of the server or the remote control device; instructing a user to randomly select a button on the remote control device; instructing a user to press the randomly selected button to generate a wireless signal; at the server, deriving an encryption key from the wireless signal; instructing a user to point the remote control device at the component; instructing a user to press the randomly selected button to generate the wireless signal; at the component, deriving the encryption key from the wireless signal; and exchanging authentication information between the server and component, the authentication information being encrypted by the key.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the server and component communicate over a power line communication (PLC) system.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the server and component communicate over a 802.11 system.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the server is established by a set-top box receiver.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
October 7, 2009
September 20, 2011
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